Officials at the Cedar Point Amusement Park, in Sandusky, Ohio announced today that the park’s famous Top Thrill Dragster ride, that remained closed since the August 15, 2021, will not reopen and will be retired for good instead.
420-foot tall Top Thrill Dragster was the number two tallest roller coaster in the world, second only to the 456-foot Kingda Ka roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey.
Top Thrill Dragster coaster has operated at the Cedar Point Amusement Park for 19 years and drawn 18 million riders.
In a statement released to announce the permanent closure of the attraction, the park administration said that its “legacy of ride innovation continues. Our team is hard at work, creating a new and reimagined ride experience.”
The park’s plans regarding new upcoming attractions would be disclosed in the near future, the officials added.
Top Thrill Dragster was ‘temporarily’ closed in August of last year after a female park visitor was injured by a piece of metal that fell off the roller coaster, striking her in the head.
Official Ohio state inquiry into the accident found no evidence that the park acted illegally or had reason to believe the ride was out of order or unsafe.
Park officials did not mention in their statement whether last year’s accident had influenced their decision to permanently close the iconic ride.
